Local State of the Union reaction

2/13/2013

Stainbrook

THE BLADE/ANDY MORRISON
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“As I just listened to President Obama give his fifth State of the Union address, I was really inspired. The President was moving as he laid out his plan to create jobs, work to finally pass comprehensive immigration reform, and tackle gun violence in America.

“I thought it was just so warmly received, and quite poignant. I felt that he really held the attention of the audience — the members and the senators. The focus was what we need to hear in our region — job creation and bringing jobs back home. His focus on energy was very welcome to me.”

- U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo)

“The policies outlined tonight by President Obama are repackaged versions of the same policies that we’ve seen for the past four years, and those policies are not working for the American people. 22.7 million Americans are unemployed, underemployed, or who have given up looking for work, economic growth slowed last quarter, gas prices are $1.80 higher than when the President took office, and $5.9 trillion has been added to the national debt under President Obama.”

- U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R., Bowling Green)

“The challenge is that Republicans are willing to work with this President, but with his election to a second term, this President now seems to have a non-compromise attitude — ‘I'll do whatever I want.’

“The Democrats really want bigger government and higher taxes. As Republicans, we fundamentally disagree with that. Tonight was more of the same Democrat rhetoric, where they say we need to do more investing, which means more spending, bigger government.”

- Jon Stainbrook, Lucas County Republican Party chairman

“I was particularly impressed by the fact that he wants to convince all of our representatives that gun violence deserves a vote. I don't believe that the public wants Congress to avoid a vote.

[I was impressed by] the fact that he is going to have a bipartisan committee and try to come up with election reform, so we don't have people standing in line [for] the opportunity to vote for three or four hours.”

- Ron Rothenbuhler, chairman of the Lucas County Democratic Party

“This isn’t the first time we have heard from President Obama about plans to create jobs and rejuvenate the economy. Unfortunately, his first term showed that speeches alone do not equate to meaningful action, and he has yet to lead and reach across the aisle to develop a serious plan to rebuild our economy.”

- U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R., Ohio)

“Tonight’s speech provided an important blueprint to grow our economy by growing the middle class. My guest at ... [the] State of the Union Address was Ms. Cookie Hall, a Cleveland steelworker who knows that American workers are the most productive in the world.

“President Obama outlined a plan to ensure that American manufacturers – and the middle-class jobs they support – are not only the most productive in the world, but also the most innovative.”

- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio)